With every stroke of her brush, every tiny bristle that spread across the canvas with ease, the work in front of her began to come more and more alive. The artist smiled slowly as she finished the outline of the devilishly handsome young man. He truly was a work of art. All that was needed now was color.
She gingerly set down her brush as she made her way to the supply closet. Her sneakers padded the tilled floor of the Art room, the only sound in the entire wing of the school.
She was supposed to be home at this hour, but she was so caught up in her Medic studies that she had completely forgotten about the upcoming art project. With several pleas and bribery, she convinced Deidara-sensei to let her stay after to finish; or in her case, start.
She sighed as she rummaged through boxes of forgotten clay pots, giant roll of paper, and modeling mannequins. If her Academic Honors didn't include this class, and she didn't have the decent talent for it, she wouldn't be here.
She would much rather be doubling up in her Medical classes. Art wasn't going to help her save lives, so why take it? It escaped her, but that's what her scholarship called for, and lord knows she couldn't afford college without it.
Her family wasn't exactly poor, but they barely classified as middle class. They had a hard time paying tuition to Konoha High School as it is. She was a good student; always took detailed notes, turned her projects and homework in on time (normally), and was careful about how she behaved. She was the model student. Too bad being the model student doesn't score you a date to prom.
She frowned upon seeing that the only colors left were onyx and a creamy white.
She scrunched up her face and shrugged. It'd have to do. She walked back toward her masterpiece and plopped down on her seat.
Grabbing the nearest clean brush, she dipped the tip into the porcelain paint first, smoothing it over his defined jawline, up his acute nose, and over his high cheekbones.
Satisfied, she wiped off the excess paint and began on the black. Just as she began to smooth it down his scalp, the door burst open behind her, causing her to jump.
"Forehead!"
Grumbling, Sakura turned back to her work. The rosette let out a low groan as she looked at the randomly thick line she had involuntarily painted due to the sudden disturbance by a certain blonde. She turned back to the other girl, a nasty glare set in her usually pretty features.
"What? Did I do something?"
"Yes, Ino! Look!" Sakura nearly cried, jabbing a finger toward the canvas.
The other girl looked over her slender shoulder and noticed the out of place line that jutted out from the man's hair line.
"No sweat, Sakura. Here," Ino walked over to the rosette and took the brush out of her hand. "just, do this!"
The pink haired student watched as her best friend drew several more chunks of paint coming out from the male's head, creating an anti-gravity spike effect.
"Ino, his hair looks like a chicken's ass!" Sakura giggled, poking her grinning friend in the stomach.
"Yes, but sexy, no?" the blonde wiggled her arched brows suggestively.
"Very."
"Good, now finish up. It's almost 7 and Shikamaru can't hold our table at Ichiraku's much longer."
"Alright, alright. I'll be about another ten minutes. I'll meet you downstairs?" the rosette said, turning back to the (very sexy) man on her canvas.
Ino rolled her icy blue eyes and just gave a small wave as she strolled away, her heels clicking after her.
"You better be down in ten minutes on the dot, or else, Bill-Board Brow!"
Sakura rolled her emerald eyes right back at her back and began adding the final touches to the picture. She added dark eyebrows, and since she had not much of another option, she swirled her brush in a circular motion, adding the onyx to his calculating eyes.
She stepped away from her creation, and marveled at how she could have structured something so...perfect. She sighed for what seemed like the hundredth time that night and began cleaning her station. She has been here far too long, and just needed a nice steaming bowl of over priced ramen.
She took one last look at the portrait, and got the lingering feeling he was actually looking at her. Trying to prove her own sanity to herself, she moved from left, to right, and even jumped up and down a few times.
She got goosebumps as she realized his smoldering gaze never left her form.
"Alright, Sakura, you're going crazy!" she mumbled under he breath. "Inanimate objects can not watch you. This kind of thing only happens in Scooby Doo."
Despite her words, she reached out and traced a slender finger down his jawline, and down his neck, and lazily trailed it back up to his full lips. She thumbed it a few times before lightly laughing at herself.
"If only you existed. I would definitely take you to prom. You wouldn't turn me down, would you?"
She laughed at herself again, louder, a little more sure. She leaned forward and jokingly brushed her glossy lips against his, but pulled back as if she had been burned.
"What the...?" But before she could finish her sentence, a loud blare of a horn outside warned her that her ten minutes are about up, and the 'or else' is coming soon.
She rushed over and scooped up her light green sweater and purse. As she made her way to the door, she subconsciously touched her lips and turned back to the drying portrait. Those eyes, still watching her, still piercing through her own. She shook her head and tucked a few loose strands of hair behind her ear. She turned the knob and slipped into the empty hallway.
She could have sworn that the paintings lips were warm, warmer than her own, but she just shook her head once more, trying to get rid of the hallucination. She must have been inhaling too many paint fumes today.
She mentally nodded as she opened the door to Ino's ancient car and slid in.
Definitely the paint fumes.